


Not the End

by helplesslynerdy



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-07-12
Packaged: 2017-12-19 05:18:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/879886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helplesslynerdy/pseuds/helplesslynerdy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Éowyn/Faramir, modern AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not the End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jaxin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaxin/gifts).



"You’re not in love with me. You’re in love with the idea of me."

The words played over and over in her head, like the tinny music on a kid’s ride at the fair. With each repeat it was as if a small piece of soul chipped off, making her wonder if she would even recognize the person she was becoming.

It had been so easy to fall for him. A doctor leading medical help into war zones? Performing near miracles with local medicines? Saving hundreds of lives? Who wouldn’t have?

Some nights she would follow him. He would wander to the edge of the camp, the only light the orange flicker of his cigarette from his fingers to his mouth. He would sprawl under a tree, his balled up coat serving as a pillow. Sometimes she would hear the low rumble of him singing- usually in Finnish (she had ask around to find out where he was from). Eowyn would sit far enough away so he never saw her. She knew that once his cigarette was out, he would lie back and twirl the charm on the necklace he always wore. It was a woman’s necklace, but he never divulged whose it was or what she had been to him.

And thus she pined.

She was just a nurse in training; she had to stay behind on the more dangerous missions. But Eowyn longed to be in the thick of things, to help others. To prove to her colleagues that she was just as valuable.

And she had followed in once, hid in the tarp of the truck. He had caught her, and it was then that she confessed that she had wanted to help him. To work alongside him in the worst of it.

And that was when he said that to her, let her down easy.

Minutes later they were under attack.

She had been given charge of getting the children out and had. She was just returning to the shelter to make sure no one was left behind when she was confronted with the leader of the insurgents. A feral grin spread across his face before he leapt at her. Instinctually, she began defensive maneuvers that she had learned from a child. Years of being dropped into self-defense and martial arts classes after school by her absentee guardian, her uncle, finally paid off. 

The man had her pinned, his large machete teasingly cutting into her arm as he leaned over her. Just when she thought this might have been the end, she found an opening. Freeing her leg, she was finally able to kick his legs out from under him. As he fell to the ground, she grabbed a nearby gun and shot him before blacking out.

Now she was being forced to recuperate far from where she felt she was needed most. Her arm was bandaged, held up by a sling. The doctor had been by several times after she woke to check on her, but he was soon needed back in the field.

She could hardly bear his pitying looks anyway. 

She would wander to a small pond nearby the camp and sit for hours. Trying to think of what she could now do. Soon she would have to be sent home for surgery- they didn’t have the equipment to fully fix her arm, but she wasn’t quite ready for travel. 

But even with the surgery, her own dreams of becoming a surgeon were shattered. She would probably never regain full motor skills in her hand. 

She was bitter.

There was this other nurse that had been hurt in a fight. A man about her age from another camp. His leg had been hurt, and he would soon be sent home as well.

This Faramir had tried to make friends with her, but she wasn’t interested. Every time he would try to engage her, she would give him monosyllabic answers. She wasn’t trying to be mean or blow him off, per se. 

She just didn’t know how to pick up the pieces of her own life, let alone another’s.

She was throwing small pebbles into the pond aimlessly when, without preamble, Faramir plopped himself down beside her. She turned briefly to look at him before she turned back to the pond, saying nothing.

They sat in silence for several long minutes before he finally spoke. 

"It’s not the end of the world, you know."

She turned and looked at him like he had sprouted another head. 

He smiled a her- a soft, lopsided one that made her want to return it, even though she stifled the urge. She instead scoffed. “And how do you know that?"

"Everything won’t be as dark as it is now forever. You’ll find a new life. You’re brilliant. I’ve heard them talk about you." He was now facing the water, leaning back on his elbows that were resting on the sand.  "Don’t let this setback taint the rest of your life. You can still do so much good."

She couldn’t help but look in awe at this man who had every right to be just as bitter as she- he would probably walk with a limp for the rest of his life- but here he was trying to comfort  _her._

As much as a part of her wanted to rail against him and cry _platitudes_ , the larger part of her recognized what this was- an offering of friendship. 

And she really could use a friend right now.

She turned to consider him- this admittedly handsome young man whose world had just tipped on its axis. But still he was reaching out to her in kindness.

Maybe he could use a friend, as well.

She looked down to his hand that was resting on the ground beside her. She threaded her fingers through his- not facing him lest his reaction break what little courage she felt she had left.

He squeezed her fingers a little tighter, allowing her a moment to adjust before he turned to look at her. 

This time when he smiled at her, she returned it. 

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own _Lord of the Rings_ or Tolkien's fantastic characters.


End file.
